Letters

I am a Christian who is enraged at the lack of respect and tolerance for people of different religions.

Whether a person is Hindu, Buddhist, Sikhist, Shintoist, Confucian, Jainist, Catholic, Hebrew, Christian, agnostic, atheist or any other faith or non-faith, in the United States you have the right to practice your belief or nonbelief.

The Sikh Temple killings in Wisconsin and the Sikh Temple vandalism in Murfreesboro are abhorrent and the result of total ignorance and lack of love and kindness for all humankind.

Last year I lost my job and had to take one making half what I had been earning. So we moved closer to our jobs to save on the ever-increasing gas prices.

When we were moving into our new apartment, we heard a small kitten crying and I thought maybe a stray had a litter and was out looking for food.

The next day, as I came home for lunch, I heard it again and went to investigate. I found a small black kitten in the bushes behind the store that sits in front of our duplex. I took some food and water out and left it.

I offer my congratulations to Drack Langley and Danny Wright to represent Harriman on the Roane County school board.

While I wanted to run for this seat, the ebbs and tides of my profession forced me to believe I could not devote my full time to the position.But, my passsion and love for the local schools does and will always remain.

I am so pleased the board picked a “home” candidate to be the new director. I have no doubt he will do a good job in difficult times.

This week marks the 47th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination in voting and has been instrumental in ensuring that citizens’ rights are protected from nefarious election laws.

In Tennessee and other states, we have seen laws enacted that have the potential to undermine this vital protection. An estimated 11 percent of the population do not have the type of identification required.

Especially impacted are the elderly, people with disabilities, low-income voters and young people.